NRI revives ancient Sikh martial arts in UK

London, May 5 (PTI) An Indian-origin factory worker
from Wolverhampton has revived 'Shastar vidya', the ancient
form of Sikh marial arts, that was so deadly that the British
banned it in the 19th century in colonial India.

Nidar Singh Nihang, 41, has been teaching 'Shastar
vidya' in Hounslow, west London, to a growing number of
students.

During colonial rule, British rulers banned the form
but allowed and encouraged 'gatka', a ceremonial and
toned-down version of 'Shastar vidya' which is widely
displayed during Sikh festivals today.

Singh Nihang hopes that he can make 'Shastar vidya' as
widely practised as the 'gatka'.

"Most people who practise Indian martial arts nowadays
are simply learning the toned down exhibition styles that were
allowed by the British," he told The Independent.

"Unless we start teaching the original fighting styles
they will be extinct within 50 years. I want to find two or
three sensible, intelligent and tolerant young apprentices who
can pass on what I've learned to future generations."

Detailed records of 'Shastar vidya' are available from
the colonial era in the British Library and V&A Museum here.

One of Singh Nihang's top students is Iqbal Singh, a
39-year-old businessman from Slough who spent many years
looking for a master who might be able to reconnect him with
his culture's fighting past.

"When I was younger I used to head down to the British
Library where there are loads of manuscripts and books from
the Sikh empire," he said.

"I kept dreaming about travelling back to the Punjab
to find a master and I always imagined he'd be some grizzled
old man living in a hut somewhere. Instead, the person who
seemed to know the most about these fighting styles was a
factory worker from Wolverhampton." PTI PS
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